Scribe New York x Lamy SoHo

At yesterday’s Sip‘n Scribe event, ink and champagne flowed freely as a creative group of students sat with me to learn the basics of broad-edge calligraphy.

Sharing my love of calligraphy is always enjoyable, but it’s especially rewarding when I teach those who approach calligraphy for the first time. There are many moments that resonate when teaching newbies, from their excitement at forming a perfectly-shaped letter or drawing a beautiful flourish. But for me, the most thrilling is when a student realizes how meditative and relaxing calligraphy can be.

Sure, calligraphy can be frustrating if the expectation is perfection every time you pick up a pen to practice. But with an open, forgiving mindset to do your best and a willingness to practice letterforms over and over, mastery will eventually come. And the process of repetition is wonderfully meditative; once you find a rhythm, the pen practically guides itself and glides on the page.

One of the participants in yesterday’s workshop said, “WOW, this really is relaxing… I can see how making letters would de-stress me after a long day.” For me, giving someone a means to alleviate stress is even better than teaching how to execute a masterful flourish. Because when you learn to let go of worries and immerse yourself in art, you really can flourish!